RICS comments on the Government’s Renters’ Reform Bill

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) comments on the Government’s Renters’ Reform Bill, giving support and concerns.

RICS supports the government’s goal of improving tenants’ protections and the quality of homes in the private rental sector. However, we remain concerned for tenants as to any knock-on effects, as our RICS Residential Survey shows rents continuing to rise alongside the supply of rental properties dropping.  

The reforms, therefore, must be delivered in such a way that gives confidence to landlords and does not result in them leaving the sector, further exacerbating the challenges for tenants who are already struggling to find quality affordable homes.  

Landlords have stressed to RICS that proposals must be backed by process changes including an improved court process to make it easier for them to take back a property in legitimate cases. The  creation of the new property portal  is welcome in that it will provide both tenants and landlords with valuable information, however it will require support from Government to get going.   

Homes of a good standard benefit all parties, and we welcome the move to improve the quality of homes in the PRS. However, we would like to see joined-up thinking between new EPC measures and decent homes so that landlords can plan for the introduction of both and tenants know what to expect.

The delay in the introduction of new energy standards for the private rental sector  (PRS) demonstrates the importance of giving landlords sufficient time to prepare and undertake work.  Surveyors have a huge role to play in this area, in ensuring that any standard can be applied consistently, providing reassurance for both landlords and tenants.  We look forward to working with Government on these issues.

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